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Host fishes and host-attracting behavior of Lampsilis altilis and Villosa vibex (Bivalvia: Unionidae)

Informally Refereed

Abstract

Suitable host fishes were identified for two species of freshwater mussels (Unionidae) from the Coosa River drainage, Mobile Basin: Lampsilis altilis, the fine-lines pocketbook and Villosa vibex, the southern rainbow. Suitable hosts are defined as fishes that produce juvenile mussels from glochidial infestations in the laboratory. Larvae of both L. altilis and V. vibex transformed successfully on four species of sunfishes (Centrarchidae): Lepomis cyanellus, Micropterus coosae, M. punctulatus, and M. salmoides. For both mussel species, transformation success on L. cyanellus was highly variable and generally lower than on Micropterus spp. Gravid female L. altilis and V. vibex display highly modified mantle margin lures in the early spring. In addition to displaying mantle lures, L. altilis produce superconglutinates, simliar to those recently described for three other species of Lampsilis in the Southeastern U.S.

Citation

Haag, Wendell R.; Warren, Melvin L., Jr.; Shillingsford, Mahala. 1999. Host fishes and host-attracting behavior of Lampsilis altilis and Villosa vibex (Bivalvia: Unionidae). American Midland Naturalist. 141: 149-157.
https://www.fs.usda.gov/research/treesearch/749